Gravensteen Castle, Belgium

The Gravensteen is a medieval castle located in Ghent, Belgium. The present castle was built by Count Philip of Alsace in 1180 on a site of an earlier wooden castle which was probably built in the 9th century.



Until the 14th century the castle served as the seat of the Counts of Flanders. Afterwards was Gravensteen abandoned and later used as a courthouse and a prison before it fell into decay. In 1885 was the castle bought by the city of Ghent which restored and opened it to the public.